On the share.triangle.com forum about Dwayne Dail (share.triangle.com/node/11596), who was sent to prison for life for a crime he didn't commit, readers of Mandy Locke's story last weekend weighed in. One of the posts, from a reader in New York, said in part, "May God bless Mr. Dail, his son, Chris, and their wonderful family, and may the future bring love and prosperity to them all."

Under the post was this reply: "Thank you so much, sir. Your kind words brought tears to my eyes." From Dwayne Dail himself.

I thought: Dail went to prison in 1989, before the university-centric Internet became the Web, before widespread use of e-mail, before blogs and iTunes. Do you remember having to launch your programs from the C prompt? Do you remember when upgrading your modem meant going from 300 to 1200 baud (woo hoo)? That's when Dail went in. He got out this past August, and was declared innocent and pardoned by the governor.

So I had a trivial question for him, compared to the larger ones that he has been answering about what it's like to languish behind bars for half your life for something you didn't do. I wanted to know what it was like to deal with the new technology.

"I have been in a time capsule in many ways," he replied by e-mail, "and it can be very frustrating at times. Mostly, though, everything is so interesting to me. Everything is new to me, so I get to make awesome discoveries everyday."

He took computer classes in prison, so the PC was not a foreign concept when he got out. Here's more of what he wrote:

"I had never used a computer before I was incarcerated and did not know anyone who owned one. That was very new technology then, personal computers. The Internet, on the other hand, is a totally new concept for me. I am only beginning to learn of how useful as a resource it really is! You can find anything on the Internet. I just discovered YouTube a few days ago, and that has been fun."

"I have a bit of a time finding things on Web sites, still, but I am learning to navigate my way around better now. I love ... LOVE ... the responses I have been able to find. The support and encouragement I receive from all of the people who respond in such a positive and heartfelt way just swells my heart and further restores my faith in my fellow man. It certainly gives me courage to continue to do well and strive to do even better."

Good for him.

'Garcia Girls'

It may be that Johnston County has done author Julia Alvarez a favor. She wrote a book called "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents," which was being taught in a class at West Johnston High School. The book contains sex and profanity, and a parent objected. Eventually, the book was pulled from Johnston's high school libraries and classrooms.

Of course, the attendant publicity may wind up moving some of you to buy a copy, which, I'm sure, would be fine with Ms. Alvarez. We've created a forum at share.triangle.com/schoolbooks where you can discuss Johnston County's actions. You can read excerpts of the book by going to newsobserver.com/news.

Holiday horror stories

Dan Holly, editor of the North Raleigh News section of The N&O, had a miserable Christmas Day in 2005. It got him to thinking that others may have similar tales. He has created a forum at share.triangle.com/node/11658. Or send e-mail to NRNews@ newsobserver.com.

He says that if he gets a few good tales, he'll run them in his section. Post or e-mail your photo, too. A head shot will do.